Ziziphus spina-christi

2022-04-04T08:19:24Z

188.135.61.111: robot: create new article

{{Short description|Species of tree}}
{{Distinguish|Ziziphus jujuba|Paliurus spina-christi}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Ziziphus-areva-israel.jpg
|genus = Ziziphus
|species = spina-christi
|authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|L.]])[[René Louiche Desfontaines|Desf.]]
|synonyms =
{{Plainlist | style = margin-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em; |
*''Rhamnus spina-christi'' <small>L.</small>
}}
|synonyms_ref = <ref>{{citation
|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/tro-27501041
|title=The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species
|access-date=30 January 2016}}</ref>
}}

'''''Ziziphus spina-christi''''', known as the '''Christ's thorn jujube''', is an evergreen tree or plant native to northern and tropical [[Africa]], [[South Asia|Southern]] and [[Western Asia]]. It is native to the [[Levant]], [[East Africa]], [[Mesopotamia]] and some tropical countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Zizyphus spina-Christi|work=5Agroforestry Database 4.0|last=Orwa|display-authors=etal|date=2009|url= http://www.worldagroforestry.org/treedb/AFTPDFS/Zizyphus_spina-christi.PDF|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212174420/http://www.worldagroforestry.org/treedb/AFTPDFS/Zizyphus_spina-christi.PDF|archive-date=2015-02-12}}</ref> Fruit and leaves from the tree were used in preparing ancient Egyptian foods and cultural practices.

==Ecology==
In the Levant, it grows in valleys up to an elevation of 500 m.<ref>{{cite book|author=Zohary M.|title=Flora Palaestina. II.|location=Jerusalem|publisher=The Israel Academy of Science and Humanities|year=1972|pages=307–308}} Cited in {{cite journal|title=The ethnobotany of Christ's Thorn Jujube (''Ziziphus spina-christi'') in Israel|author1=Amots Dafni|author2=Shay Levy|author3=Efraim Lev|author3-link=Efraim Lev|name-list-style=amp|pmc=1277088|pmid=16270941|doi=10.1186/1746-4269-1-8|volume=1|year=2005|journal=J Ethnobiol Ethnomed|page=8}}</ref> The ripe fruits are edible.<ref>{{cite web|title=Christ's Thorn - Ziziphus spina-Christi|url= http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/info/info/flora/christs-thorn-ziziphus-sp.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100424201940/http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/info/info/flora/christs-thorn-ziziphus-sp.shtml|archive-date=April 24, 2010|author=Reinhard Fichtl|website=Bees for Development}}</ref> The seed, contained within a small, oblong woody pit, is opened and eaten by local fauna, including the [[rock hyrax]].

==Cultural and religious references==
In the Levant and wider Middle East it is called ''[[Sidrat al-Muntaha|sidr]]'' (associated with the lote tree of the [[Quran]]) and is common in the [[Jordan Valley (Middle East)|Jordan Valley]] and around [[Jerusalem]],{{sfnp|Easton|1893|p=688|ps=, "It overruns a great part of the Jordan valley."}} as well as in the [[Al Hajar Mountains|Hajar Mountains]] of the [[Sultanate of Oman]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lancaster|first=William|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/763160662|title=Honour is in contentment : life before oil in Ras al-Khaimah (UAE) and some neighbouring regions|date=2011|publisher=De Gruyter|others=Lancaster, Fidelity.|isbn=978-3-11-022340-8|location=Berlin|pages=137|oclc=763160662}}</ref> There were some folklore traditions that said the trees were protected by benevolent spirits or dead saints ([[Wali|''weli'']]). By some traditions, it was the tree from which [[Jesus]]' [[crown of thorns]] was made.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flowersinisrael.com/Ziziphusspina-christi_page.htm |title=''Ziziphus spina-christi'' |publisher=Flowersinisrael.com |access-date=2015-03-09}}</ref> [[Matthew George Easton]] argues that ''Z. spina-christi'' is too brittle to be bent into a crown, and suggests another local plant, ''[[Ziziphus lotus]]''.{{sfnp|Easton|1893|p=174}}

The oldest known ''Z. spina-christi'' is located south of Jerusalem, in [[Ein Hatzeva]], [[Israel]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bar-am |first1=Aviva |last2=Bar-am |first2=Shmuel |title=Rooted in Israel's history, five remarkable trees |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/rooted-in-israels-history-five-remarkable-trees/ |work=[[Times of Israel]]|date=15 November 2014}}</ref> It is estimated to be between 1500 and 2000 years old.<ref>{{cite web |title=The "old man" of Hatzeva – the jujube tree at Hatzeva Spring |url=https://www.moag.gov.il/en/Subjects/hugging_a_tree/Hiking_routes_and_tales_of_trees/Ancient_Trees/old_man/Pages/default.aspx |website=www.moag.gov.il |publisher=Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Grossman |first1=Michelle Malka |title=Israeli trees get IDs with interactive heritage project |url=https://www.jpost.com/Business-and-Innovation/Environment/Israeli-trees-get-IDs-with-interactive-heritage-project-442639 |access-date=27 October 2019 |work=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |date=24 January 2016}}</ref> It is believed locally to be the very tree from which Jesus' crown of thorns was made.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sutton |first1=Candace |title=The real story of Jesus Christ's crown of thorns |url=https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/the-real-story-of-jesus-christs-crown-of-thorns/news-story/ec56fd4a5016c533aabcc08e8bcdd72d |access-date=27 October 2019 |work=[[news.com.au]] |date=20 April 2019}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:Zizyphus spina-christi.jpg|Fruit
File:شکوفه درخت کنار، بهبهان.jpg|alt=Ziziphus Spina-Christi Blossom|''Z. spina-christi'' blossom
File:درخت کنار خودرو، بهبهان.jpg|alt=Wild Ziziphus Tree, Behbahan|Wild ''Z. spina-christi'' tree in Iran
File:میوه درخت کنار، بهبهان.jpg|alt=Behbahan|''Z. spina-christi'' fruit, [[Behbahan]], Iran
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist|40em}}
* {{cite book|title=Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature: With Numerous Illustrations and Important Chronological Tables and Maps|last=Easton|first=M.G.|author-link=Matthew George Easton|year=1893|location=London, Edinburgh and New York|publisher=T. Nelson and Sons}}
{{WestAfricanPlants|Ziziphus spina-christi}}

==External links==
{{Commons|Ziziphus spina-christi}}
* [http://www.desertoverde.ch/album/ziziphus-spina-christi/ziziphus-spina-christi-spine-jpg/ Thorns of Ziziphus spina-christi]
* [http://www.flowersinisrael.com/ziziphusspina-christi_page.htm Flowers in Israel - Ziziphus spina-christi]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2920458}}

[[Category:Fruits originating in Africa]]
[[Category:Trees of Africa]]
[[Category:Trees of Asia]]
[[Category:Desert fruits]]
[[Category:Flora of North Africa]]
[[Category:Flora of Northeast Tropical Africa]]
[[Category:Flora of Western Asia]]
[[Category:Trees in religion]]
[[Category:Ziziphus|spina-christi]]

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Ziziphus spina-christi